[This drama is created with the background of the historical facts from the founding of Goryeo by Taejo Wang Geon until the rise of 4th King Gwangjong.]
[Episode 17]
You said you didn't need the throne
as long as we were together.
You're not saying it anymore.
We agreed not to lie to each other.
I started this to end this vicious cycle
of brother killing brother.
Then,
working on the construction of the new capital,
I've learned that a new king
means a new world.
If being king means
I'll no longer be a dog on a leash
and be able to end all the tragedies,
I definitely want to become this king.
What is it? You don't want me to be king?
I do not like it.
However, I dislike being apart from you even more.
Thank you.
You will become king.
I know it.
Still, you must never...
You must never ever harm your brothers.
Can you promise me that?
It's Prince Wang So!
There's an army coming!
Close the palace gates!
You... what are you hiding from me?
Have you poisoned the tea or something?
No, Your Majesty.
The court lady has already had a sip and tested it.
Now that I am in this state and have given it some thought...
everything started with you.
Pardon me?
Moo, Eun, and Eun's wife.
Even King Taejo.
All of those dead people are bothering me.
It is all your fault.
I made the decision to kill my brothers and become king.
All because you...
helped So cover up his scar and take my seat.
Because he took what was mine...
Your Majesty!
Yo!
So is... So is coming to the palace!
Wang So is revolting against you!
Yo, Yo...
You need to write this now.
Write down that you will be abdicating the throne to Jung.
Hurry, now.
What?
We cannot lose the throne.
Hurry. Write down that Jung is to be the new king.
Then we can plan for the future. Go on.
Then... what about me?
Am I even your son?
What am I to you, Mother?
Just something that exists to sit on the throne?
Do you no longer have any need for a son who isn't the king anymore?
Yo, don't be this way.
We will lose everything if you do this.
Hand it over to Jung, please.
Now I think I understand So.
I can relate to how he feels.
Take the Queen Mother out of here!
Yo.
Yo, don't do this. Yo, Yo!
Yo! Let go of me. Let me go, at once!
Let go. Yo!
Yo!
Let me go! Yo!
I cannot reach Wook yet.
Park Soo Kyung is with So.
The palace men will not last long.
Mother?
Depending on what you decide, I will go along with you.
I knew after I saw your brother.
I knew what I forgot to teach you.
If you want to own the palace, you must sacrifice something.
Mother.
You must decide now.
You can have the whole world and lose love.
You can have love and live in a very small world.
What if I were to want the whole world?
I... will throw Wook away.
I have come to attack the very palace that I have always protected.
I will help you enter the palace without any bloodshed.
I will not forget your loyalty.
I knew that he would end up getting everything.
What did I do so wrong?
I was afraid that I would be thrown away, as well.
Just like So was.
I thought I would be cast off.
Mother said to me...
She said I was complete and not lacking in anything.
Yet...
it is all because of you.
Because you got involved, you wench!
You should choose.
Who should I give the throne to?
Choose.
Wook?
Baek Ah or So?
You're so great. Why don't you choose?
Find the king now!
Yes, sir!
I was only...
trying to survive.
Did you read it?
Move!
I told you to move! Move!
Yo.
Greetings to the new king.
Long, long...
may he live.
What do you mean "king"?
What do you mean "king"!
His Majesty gave me the throne before he passed away.
He abdicated to me.
What?
Greetings to you, Your Majesty.
Greetings to the king.
Long live the king.
His Majesty, the king.
Long live the king!
His Majesty, the king.
Long live the king!
Gwangjong.
He is the 4th King of Goryeo.
He is Gwangjong.
Now, you will no longer be remembered in history as a bloody monarch.
I will help you.
Now, the Hwangbo household will use our power to push for a queen, not a king.
I was very upset to see how much you had changed.
The further you go astray, the more you will suffer.
It is better to distance yourself from the royal family.
Why didn't you come to the coronation?
What if people get the wrong idea?
When I arrived in Seokyeong
Wang Shik Ryeom had already died.
So's men immediately placed me under house arrest until I was released.
But the owner of the throne had already changed.
A rebel who brings down one who committed treason becomes a hero.
It was the seat that I wanted...
and Wang So was sitting on it.
You wanted me to go see that.
Isn't that too cruel?
Help me.
I will become queen and repay you for that pain you are going through.
I will share that burden you have been carrying by yourself all this time.
Give me strength, Wook. Please?
Moving the capital to Seokyung...
Issue a decree that it is completely canceled.
The forced laborers displaced by this construction
will be repaid according to the duration of their service
and returned to their homelands.
What about those that died in service?
Do whatever their families want.
Guarantee them jobs
or compensate them with goods.
Do the same for those who got injured.
Then...
are we done for the night?
Yes.
Your Majesty.
Damiwon's Court Lady Hae is waiting for you.
Hae Soo is?
Soo?
You're back.
I'm sorry for making you wait for so long.
Here.
Here, you like this, right?
Your grace is overflowing, Your Majesty.
Stop that. It's just us here.
Just address me as your brother.
Only you deserve to do that.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty?
Thank you very much, Your Majesty.
Sit down, sit down.
This is nice. I really like this.
I'd been waiting to have a family meal
together with you two.
Yes, we understand. You should eat now.
If you keep making me talk when I'm hungry,
I won't share a meal with you again.
Alright. Let's eat.
Soo!
I thought you were gone...
I'll leave after you fall asleep.
It's been a long day for you.
Why bother going back and forth?
Just sleep with me.
Why?
You just became king.
I don't want bad rumors to form.
I'll come back tomorrow.
I need you here.
I just don't feel comfortable here.
Maybe because I've seen the previous owners die.
Just thinking about being here alone
makes me feel suffocated.
Stay here with me. Please?
Stay with me.
Tell me a story?
We're nowhere near a thousand yet.
Well... you can't see the stars from here...
Ah, maybe a story about you, Your Majesty?
A story about me?
A Big Bad Wolf eats this girl called the Little Red Riding Hood.
Once upon a time,
there was this cute little girl
with big eyes like me,
sent by her mom to take food to her grandmother...
Even after just one day,
I realized how naive I'd been.
I wanted him to become king because waiting was so hard.
but now it seems like I'll have to wait even longer.
You need to be careful with your words.
Since Princess Gyeonghwagung has become a nun,
the position of the queen is practically empty.
People will try to pull you down, so be careful.
Court Lady! Court Lady!
Chae Ryung.
Court Lady Hae, Queen Yoo wishes to see you.
Hello, Queen Yoo.
I called you here because I have a question for you.
Jung.
This was found in the late king's room.
It looks like a last decree.
I am certain it pertains to the succession of the throne.
If so, that means it may not be So's name that is written there.
Tell me.
Did the late king really abdicate the throne to So?
If you cannot say anything out of fear, we can protect you.
So you need to be honest.
Is it true that the late king abdicated his throne to So?
Yes, it is true.
Lies. You are lying.
I know Yo.
No one knows him better than I do.
He would never give the throne to So.
Tell me. Tell me the truth!
- Mother. - Tell me, tell me!
- Tell me! - That's enough!
Stop that now.
You can ask me about it, so why bother her?
Is that so?
Then why don't you tell me the truth?
Why did you rip up the decree?
Who says that I ripped it?
I do not know why Yo ripped it and only left a dying wish.
He abdicated the throne to me and there is no doubt about that.
He has a son so why would he leave it to his younger brother?
If you are so curious, do you want to ask him in the afterlife?
It's a good thing that he did abdicate.
What would it have been like if I were forced to usurp the throne?
Right about now...
the palace would be filled with blood of Jung
and my slaughtered brothers and nephews.
Queen Mother, why don't you work on the memorial service for the late king?
I will visit you often to see how you are.
Do not call me Queen Mother.
I do not wish to be called Queen Mother because you are sitting on the throne.
I am your son too, Mother.
If your son is the king, you are automatically the Queen Mother.
You are merely the thief who stole my son's throne.
Tell my family in Chungju that I want to see them.
You do not need to go to them even if they call for you.
All right.
Whoever it is and whatever rank, you need to get my permission first.
All right?
I understand.
I...
Your Majesty, there are rumors coming from all four directions.
About what?
They believe that Lord Kyung Chun Won should have been king.
Foreign Minister Park Young Gyu thinks you lied about the king's dying wish.
Kill him.
Excuse me?
Charge anyone who submits an appeal with treason.
The late king's servants.
Take care of all the court ladies and soldiers that were in the Cheondeokjeon.
Don't leave behind a single person
who will cast doubt on the succession of the throne.
Not a single person.
I won't leave anyone.
The king is determined to catch me.
You started a rumor that the king lied about the late king's dying words.
Did you think you would be safe?
Is that right?
Then I'd better expose the fact
that you were spying on the 4th Prince and Baek Ah.
Do you think I will die alone?
You ignorant girl.
I haven't seen this in a long time.
It has gotten quite dirty. You need a new string.
I don't want to lose it.
You said you got it from your parents.
I think I have to do something your parents won't like very much.
What is...
Before we get married...
I think we may need to get you registered as an adopted daughter of a good family.
It is because I'm from Hubaekje, isn't it?
My grandmother still clearly remembers the incidents that happened to Gyeon Hwan.
Her family was killed in front of her.
She tries to avoid dealing with people from Hubaekje if she can.
It happened before we were even born!
As if Gyeon Hwon had something to do with you.
[Park Young Gyu] You're Gyeon Gwon's granddaughter.
Still, let's avoid unnecessary trouble.
I'll visit your parents' gravesite later to apologize.
[Park Young Gyu] If his connection with you is revealed,
Prince Baek Ah won't be safe, either.
Is that alright with you?
The king of Goryeo killed my parents,
and my king killed your family.
With that, do you think it's alright for us to be together?
Woo Hee.
it wasn't my fault,
and it wasn't your fault, either.
Think only of the two of us.
Unless you stop liking me,
we'll never be apart no matter what.
I cannot allow it.
I would like to rest now and go back to my hometown.
I need you more than ever.
I do not understand why you are insisting on leaving.
If I am to be very honest...
I have become sick and tired of this royal household.
Every time I go back and forth
my child...
I see my visions of my child and I hear her voice.
I try my best to pretend it is not the case.
I cannot rid myself of the image of you wielding your sword, Your Majesty.
It has been very difficult.
Do not leave.
- Do not leave. - Your Majesty.
For the sake of this nation and its people
become a good and wise king.
You have to be.
Park Soo Kyung has left.
He is sick and tired of this palace.
Now...
he is afraid of me.
You are curious about whose name the late king wrote in his last decree.
Aren't you?
You are wondering whether I stole this throne or not.
I do not think that at all.
I am the person who is least curious about that.
It was blank.
No one's name was written there.
That is why...
I ripped it up, knowing that leaving a decree like that
would cause more confusion.
I had already taken over the palace, anyway.
You did the right thing.
Park Soo Kyung has left me,
and Baek Ah sees me only as his king
and no longer a brother.
For Choi Ji Mong, I'm just
an avenger of my oldest brother's death.
Jung...
sees me as a murderer of our brothers.
Even my own mother
sees me only as a thief.
You were right.
The throne...
makes you scared
and lonely.
I am right here.
I will not leave you.
Wow! This is what Cheondeokjeon looks like.
I... have a favor to ask you, Lady Hae.
With the enthronement of the new king, they are releasing some court ladies.
I am included.
I was told to leave the Damiwon.
Then I guess I will not be seeing you too often.
Where will you be going?
Lady Hae, can't you help me just stay and live in the palace?
Please ask the king for me.
How did it go?
She said she would ask the king.
All right.
You must remain in the Damiwon.
Well, this is a chance.
Can I not go to you, Your Highness?
I don't know when I'll be able to leave the palace again.
Chae Ryung, there is still so much you can do to help me here.
When the time comes, I will take you out of here.
Does asking for autonomy mean that
Chungju will no longer be a part of Goryeo?
Your claim to the throne is suspicious.
How could we serve you as our king?
Loyalty can only come from trust.
I also grew up as Lord Yu Geung Dal's grandson.
Even so, the whole family intends to oppose me, the current king?
You'll have to consider what other clans would think
when the king isn't even supported
by his own family.
Do you want to
cut off our ties, Jung?
If the late king's dying wishes become clearer,
we'll know for sure.
We have to do something with the Chungju Yu clan,
or things will get dangerous.
We either have to show them what the late king's last words were,
or form an alliance with other clans that are just as powerful.
Even to the end,
I'm not her son.
Woo Hee?
I'm sure the king will love these.
Is this too small a gift in return for the new room?
Soo,
if I wrong someone for my own happiness,
it'll come back to me eventually, right?
I wouldn't be forgiven.
That's right.
You shouldn't hurt someone to save your own life.
However...
I think you and I deserve some slack.
We've gone through a lot.
The scars on our wrists.
We just want a slice of happiness
barely enough to cover those.
I think we may be forgiven
even if we acted a little more selfish.
I'm going to believe that.
Can you go on and put this in my room?
Yes.
You ended up going to him.
You said that I was being greedy for wanting both the throne and love.
Now you are the king's woman.
How am I to accept that?
He was honest with me.
He told me he did not want to lose either the throne or me.
He confessed it all to me, even his greed.
I had no choice but to try and understand.
I have always been curious.
Why is it that you insisted I could not become king?
In your eyes...
was I not enough to become king?
- It is not like that. - Then what?
They say Prince Wang So was born with the star of a king.
King Taejo knew about that, as well.
It is not your fault.
It is only nature and it is fate.
Star of a king?
All because of a measly star?
Nature...
and fate?
Can you promise me?
That you will never take it off.
It is not your fault.
It is only nature and it is fate.
You will become queen.
You are going to help me?
No one can have everything.
Isn't that what is fair?
[When the water has run dry. Sit and wait for the rising clouds.]
Finished.
Why do you need me to write so many of these?
I have a purpose for it all.
You said you would give me something for preparing your room.
All you gave me was herbal rice.
You ate it all without leaving one grain.
I was going to give some to Baek Ah and Astronomer Choi Ji Mong, as well.
There's no need for you to think of others besides me.
It's all mine.
Did something happen today?
No, why do you think that?
You are smiling more than usual.
It is making me worry. That's all.
Don't try to know everything about me.
If you keep doing that when we're not even married, I'll want to run away.
That's because I spend all day waiting for you, Your Majesty.
Can't I work in the Damiwon during the day?
Even if I don't serve people myself, there are many other things to do.
Also, about Chae Ryung...
I heard she is being released as a court lady from the Damiwon.
Can't you let her stay?
She really has no place to go even if she leaves the palace.
Chae Ryung?
I don't know.
I need Chae Ryung so that I'm not lonely.
Please, please?
All right, all right.
But... I do not think you will be so lonely in the future.
We will have to have children and raise them.
Children?
A doctor will come to see you.
You need to take care of yourself physically in order to have children.
We aren't even married yet.
You're telling me take care of my health and talking about babies.
Marriage? We can get married.
When should we do it?
Let's do it when you want.
No, I do not want to.
You don't want to?
You should do a better proposal.
You said you had to speak to me at the prayer tower.
Do you think I am stupid?
You were going to propose to me there, weren't you?
I don't know when I can go there.
It isn't so simple to leave the palace anymore.
I see.
Must I come up with a proposal to satisfy you if I am to marry you?
Dealing with you is harder than dealing with the government.
Whatever you need to say, you can be honest with me.
I will let the king know myself.
Your knee is not doing well.
When you were tortured in the past, it was not treated properly.
Now it has become a chronic illness.
You may be unable to walk someday.
I see.
I will watch out for that.
However, there is something worse.
It is your heart palpitations.
Heart palpitations?
When you are overexerted or startled, does your chest feel stuffy?
Have you ever felt so out of breath that you have passed out?
Yes, well...
You have had pent-up frustration.
The illness of your heart has become an illness of the body.
At this point, I cannot guarantee how long you will live.
You cannot guarantee it?
I cannot live long?
I am all right.
Please tell me how long I will live.
I will take good care of my health from now on.
I am only in my twenties.
10 years is too severe.
I will live a bit longer.
With him...
I want to be with him a little longer.
What are you wishing so hard for?
Are you praying for So to be king for a long time?
I am praying for the manly and kind 14th Prince to become my friend again.
You said you would not take anyone's side.
However, you took my 4th brother's side.
I feel very betrayed.
Do not misdirect your anger.
Have you forgotten what the late king did
to your oldest brother and the 10th Prince?
It is only natural that So became the king.
Yes, you might be right.
However, I still believe that everything started going wrong
once So came to Songak.
Fighting for the throne always existed.
Once So got involved, it became more complicated and brutal.
It is true that he stole the throne, as well.
I am worried that everyone will be in danger.
Do you think that you could become the queen?
Queen?
I don't know.
I haven't thought about it deeply.
A queen must use her family's name and the other families to support the king.
That is why King Taejo got married as often as he did.
At this rate, you will just be one of the king's many women.
Is this really how you wanted to live?
What about riding camels in the desert and going to oceans in faraway lands?
Weren't you just saying that?
Tell me whenever you get tired of this place.
If you really want to leave...
I do have a way out.
I will keep that in mind.
The 8th Prince is here to see His Majesty!
Good to see you.
I'm here on behalf of all other court officials.
On their behalf?
First.
we want the commander of the 300 thousand government troops
to be determined by the vote of only the court officials.
Second.
the clans of each region will manage the local tax collection offices.
We'll send a set amount to the royal family,
but the rest will be free to use for each clan.
As long as you agree to this,
you'll have more company in this court.
Give up the military and the revenue?
You mean to cut off both wings of the king.
If you think such threats will work on me,
you are mistaken.
If you don't want to give up your wings,
how about your heart?
The Hwangbo clan of Hwangju propose a marriage to the king!
It is a nice room.
You have decorated it well.
Please say what it is you came to say.
I will only listen for today.
I did not come to fight.
I came to make it clear what it is that you and I want.
I did not realize that we had anything more to give or take from each other.
I do not want anything from you, Princess.
You may continue to stay here if you wish to.
I am saying that I will accept you as the king's woman.
You will not be a royal concubine.
I won't get involved in who takes care of the king all day and night.
I do not know what you're referring to.
I don't understand.
What I want is honor and recognition.
Also, I want my son on the throne.
I will be marrying the king.
I will be the king's wife.
I will be the queen.
If you marry Yeon Hwa, all the families will be on your side.
The Hwangbos will become your strength.
Do not try to shake me in this way.
I may be on the throne.
But I still have the temper of a wolf dog.
You are sitting in a seat that is hard to get and even harder to protect.
From where you are sitting it will be very clear to you
that the powerful families are a double-edged sword.
If you want to sit there for a long time
you need them on your side.
I have promised to marry someone else.
Are you referring to Hae Soo?
That girl cannot become a queen.
If I say I will do it...
I will do it.
You must have forgotten.
In order to avoid marrying the late King Taejo
she cut her own arm.
A woman with a scar on her body
cannot marry the king.
[Scarlet Heart: Ryeo]
You can protect the throne, Your Majesty.
I will have to make our son into the next king.
He dares to use the throne as bait and play me for a fool?
You cannot go anywhere.
You are my only queen.
Give up on marrying the king.
You need to let him go first.
What am I supposed to do?
I have become a monster to Soo in the end.
I will never let him get away with this.